bleu magazine issue 28

men's fashion + entertainment + fitness + culture

ISSUE 28 bleumagazine.com

who IS:

eric west?

Man cave:Skip the bar and

drink at home

B.o.Bthe great

(Yup, we said it.)

22pages of

winter fashionStay In StylE From

CoaSt to CoaSt

PLUSrUn DMCniCK YoUngro JaMesLeigh BUsh&JereMY LUKe

gaMe UP!the Big Boys are Back with new toys: xBoxplayStatIonnIntEndo

BOMBSHELL #3 inside

Does siZe Matter?Compact SUvs built for any terrain

Color FadeThe rise of Black male skin bleaching

DO YOU BEDLOO?

www.bedloo.com

bleu magazine

Contents

4

10 It’s Me, It’s YoU…thE JaCkEtS and CaptaIn phIllIpS

12 tHe 20Up yoUr gamE wIth thESE BookS

14 GAGDetsgamE on

16 rIDethE pErFECt FIt

20 BoDYFlU rEmEdIES

22 GrooMInGwIntEr SCEntS

24 FUeLholIday happy hoUr

30 trAVeLa walk throUgh hIStory

34 FeAtUre: erIC westStylE wIth a SmIlE

36 ArtFUL LIVInGthE art movEmEnt

40 trenD AVe.wIntEr FaShIon

46 FAsHIonon trEnd

60 sPotLIGHtnEw BEgInnIngS

62 oP-eDdon't hatE yoUr SkIn

78 FeAtUre: ro JAMesFrom thE pUlpIt to thE StagE

80 ProFILesEdUCatIon gamE ChangErS

86 sCore: FootwEar mvp

88 on tHe rIsewho got nExt?

90 MAn CAVenot yoUr CornEr Bar

93 ICon: rUn DMC thrEE StrIpEd BandItS

FEATURES50 B.o.B

thE atl rappEr CarvES hIS own path

70 BoMBsHeLLJUSt a pInCh oF SUgar

CoVer storY: B.o.B

bleumagazine.com@bleumagazine

fashion health culture entertainment interviews

MAstHeAD

on the cover: B.oB. photography by Elton andersonStyled by apuje kalugrooming by aJ CrimsonBarber raphael lavon

Bleulife Media & entertainment Inc. | 262 West 38th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018 | e-Mail: [email protected] | online: bleumagazine.comPrinted in the USA. Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists, feature writers or other contributors are not necessarily the opinions of Bleu Magazine or its staff.

All advertisements, photographs, text or illustrations are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to have secured proper consent for the use thereof. Bleu Magazine shall not be held responsible for any errors, loss, expense or liabilities on advertisements accepted after the deadline. Publication of the name or photograph of any

person or advertisement in Bleu Magazine is not to be constructed as an indication of sexual orientation of such persons, advertiser or organization. Partial or complete reproduction of an advertisement, news article, feature or photograph from Bleu Magazine is strictly prohibited as Bleu Magazine is a registered trademark. A $25 or 1.5% (whichever is greater)

fee will be charged for all NSF checks. All rights reserved.

teAM BLeU

Publisher & Creative Director

dévon Christopher Johnson

editor

rae holliday

Managing editor

reginald larkin

Art Directors

raphael davison, nia Blackmon

online Managing editor

Erica vain

Grooming editor

Cataanda J

Copy editor

namisha Joiner

Assistant to the Publisher

gary dickson

Contributing editors

terrell allen, regi Booker, larrsye Brown,

owen duckett, dorielle Jackson,

kwasi kessie, patrick neree, rich philip,

dex rob, Shawn thomas

Contributing writers

kiarra gillette, amber kennedy, kirsten lewis,

ryan lyons, Janine mitchell, kent olden,

priscilla ward

Contributing Photographers

Elton anderson, desmond Faison, Sierra

prescott, naj wareham

Interns

miyori alexis, Janelle allen, antonio Jackson,

yisreal richardson, Edric robinson

BLeULIFe MeDIA &

entertAInMent

Ceo & President

dévon Christopher Johnson

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thomas J. wilson, Esq.

golenbock Eiseman assor Bell &

peskoe llp

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Smyle & associates, llC

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bleumagazine.com

PUBLIsHer's Letter

7

PHoto BY eLton AnDerson

there comes a time in life to assess your surroundings. In the best-case scenario everything is

fine and needs no adjusting. But, more realistically, there are going to be a few changes. there

will be people occupying spaces better suited for others. the wrong business partner, disloyal

friend or underperforming employee may require immediately dismissal and/or replacement.

It is okay to let go and move on. why waste time in a toxic environment. don’t worry about hurting

anyone’s feelings. If they were truly meant to be in your life, then there wouldn’t be a reason to

dismiss them. But if the survey says no, then out the door they must go.

2013 was much better than 2012 for most of us. It looks like 2014 will be even better. So don’t

carry over unnecessary baggage into a new and exciting year. If you need a little help getting

started, take a moment and read through this issue of Bleu. we have books you can read, drinks

you can sip, furniture to buy and plenty of fashion options. plus everything else you love about us.

thank you for being a loyal reader. we accept the challenge of fighting against stereotypes and

old definitions of who we are. Stay awesome! and be BlEU!

DéVon Christopher Johnson

@devonisbleu

“Airplanes” by B.o.B.

Yeah, I could use a dream or a genie or a

wish/ To go back to a place much simpler

than this/ 'Cause after all the partyin' and

smashin' and crashin'/ And all the glitz and

the glam and the fashion/ And all the pande-

monium and all the madness/ There comes

a time where you fade to the blackness/ And

when you starin' at that phone in your lap/

And you're hopin' but them people never

call you back/ But that's just how the story

unfolds/ You get another hand soon after

you fold/ And when your plans unravel in the

sand/ What would you wish for if you had

one chance?

bleumagazine.com

eDItor's Letter

9

Sometimes we find ourselves on the wrong road. Sometimes we figure this out after traveling a

few feet and sometimes we figure it out after a few grueling miles. In both events, we have the

power to either turn and go back to square one, or pave a new road and follow our hearts. as

the year comes to a close we must start to analyze the road we are on and insure that it's the

right one, because the new year won't start a new road, it will only add new miles to the one we

are currently on. don't wait for a new year to do what you can do today.

this issue is full of innovators who have re-energized and come back stronger than ever, from

our cover artist, B.o.B. to our Spotlight, leigh Bush, these talented artists have found their

respective roads and are driving in their own lane. pull up a seat as we take you on their journey,

we promise not to drive too fast!

rae Holliday

@raeholliday

PHoto BY nAJ wAreHAM

ContrIBUtors

kIrsten LewIs, writerKirsten lewis is a howard university John h.

Johnson school of communications alumna.

she uses her sassy and personable writing

style to engage readers. "my interview with Jer-

emy luke was very pleasant he was having a

great morning and was in a joyful mood." lewis

caught up with Mob City star to discuss a varity

of topics from luke’s role in Don Jon to what

the future holds for the budding actor.

JAnIne MItCHeLL, writerJanine mitchell graduated in 2011 from emerson

college in Boston with a Broadcast Journal-

ism degree. her first position as an editor at

foster’s Daily Democrat where she became a

finalist for the new england news and Press

association’s Best entertainment Video in 2013.

following a passion for people, Janine is now

communications coordinator at nh children’s

trust, a child abuse prevention nonprofit.

in June, she was named one of concord’s

“young professionals to watch” by the concord

monitor.

eLton AnDersonPhotoGraPherelton anderson is a la based photographer

who loves to travel for the perfect picture!

anderson is a nikon user, an apple lover and

nike fanatic! "there is beauty in everyone and

everything.... my goal is to capture it." anderson

shoots captures the eclectic sensibilities of

B.o.B.

rYAn LYonswriterryan lyons is a maryland native with a passion

for the unadulterated fun of the 80’s. a free-

lance writer, whom enjoys providing coverage

of music and fashion. his love for all things hip-

hop is highlighted in his interview with rapper,

B.o.B. lyons’ explores the atlanta native’s cre-

ative direction and process on his new album,

Underground Luxury.

PrIsCILLA wArD writerPriscilla ward is a D.c. native keeping an active

pulse on art and culture, as a means of cele-

brating the african american experience. she

is a contributing writer for madamenoire.com,

essence and ammo magazine. she works for

Dailycandy.com, as a web editorial assistant. in

her free time she enjoys exploring her Brooklyn

neighborhood.

kwAsI kessIe, stylisthis name resonates in the fashion industry.

serving as the resident men’s stylist for Bet’s

106 and Park, Kwasi has styled everyone from

Bow wow to terrence J. not limited to the

realm of television, Kessie’s work can be seen

in campaigns for sabit and rocksmith. a multi-

faceted stylist, Kessie has permeated the upper

echelon with his eye. check out his contribu-

tion in this issue’s fashion spread on page 78.

OraQuick_Bleu_Ad_8.25 x 10.875_Due 10-xx-13_Runs_10-22-13.indd 1 10/8/13 6:56 PM

bleumagazine.com 11

bleu magazine

Its Me, Its YoU, Its BLeU

12

ro James and Friends Jam session Highline Ballroom

november 4, 2013

Melanie Fiona

Ro James

Stacy BartheThe Jackets and friends

Bridget Kelly and Ro James

bleumagazine.com 13

Captain Phillips Premiere New York Film Festival, Lincoln Center

september 27, 2013

Producers Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca

Producer Michael De Luca

L-r, Barkhad Abdi, Mahat Ali, Tom Hanks and Faysal Ahmed Tom Hanks

Joanna and Director Paul Greengrass

Andrea Phillips, Captain Richard Phillips and Director Paul Greengrass

bleu magazine

tHe 20

14

Knowledge is power; there is no doubt about that. whether you at-

tend class or learn from the street, a knowledge base is key to your

survival. the literary works compiled in this issue are sure to provide

you with a cultural foundation that will allow you participate in the

most diverse conversations. its getting cold, so why not crack open

a book. after all its in a book, take look it’s the Bleu book club!

to Get Your Life together

on this page (left to right) How to Be a Man by glenn o'Brien; Letters to a Young Brother by hill harper; Black Boy by richard wright;

Another Country by James Baldwin. on the next page: (clockwise) The Alchemist by paulo Coelho; The Dream Giver by Bruce wilkin-

son; Nigger by dick gregory; The Tipping Point by malcolm gladwell, The Autobiography of Malcolm X by malcolm hale and alex

haley; The Zahir by paulo Coelho; The Life of Pi by yann martel; The Lord of the Flies by william golding; How to Get Out Your Own

Way by tyrese gibson; Tears for Water by alicia keys; Make It Happen by kevin liles; The Colorado Kid by Stephen king; Buck by

mk asante; The Moments, the Minutes, the Hours by Jill Scott; The Ways of White Folks by langston hughes

reaD theSe

bleumagazine.com 15

bleu magazine

GADGets

16

nintendo U$299.99nintendo.com

amE tImE

playstation4$399.99us.playstation.com

ipad air$499.99apple.com

xbox one$499.99xbox.com

work hard and play twice as hard is a motto we cling to dearly at the Bleu office. whether its popping bottles at 40/40 or making rain at the strip club the Bleu guy has to blow off some steam. For the more introverted man why not release your inner child with these consoles and games that are featured below.

bleumagazine.com 17

xbox one$499.99xbox.com

Must Have Games:

1. grand theft auto online X P

2. Call of duty: ghosts X P C

3. need For Speed: rivals X P C

4. angry Birds: Star wars C5. nFl madden 25 X P

6. nBa 2k14 X P C

Key:X: XboxP: PlaystationC: Pc

1

3

2

4

5

6

bleu magazine

rIDe

18

MIDDLEIn tHe

Being in the middle has never been better than these new mid-size SUVs. Usually bought for efficiency and affordability, the mid-size SUV is getting major face-lifts! Jam-packed with standard options that could only be found in luxury Tonka trucks, these smaller, yet larger than life vehicles are mak-ing it hard for the gas-guzzlers out there. So struggle no more & ride in the middle lane.

Starting at $42,29028 est mpg

Features·gpS linked Climate Control·lane keepind assist System·multi-view rear Camera

safety·4 wheel disc break with anti-lock brake system (aBS), Electronic Brake distribu-tion (EBS) and Brake assist

2014 Acura MDX

bleumagazine.com 19

Starting at $23,30024/31 est. mpg

Features·reclining rear Seat·dual zone Climate Control·Steering wheel mounted Controls

safety·Enhance vehicle Stability Control with an anti-lock break system (aBS) Break assists (Ba) Smart Stop technology.

2013 Toyota RAV4

Starting at $37,50517/24 est. mpg

Features·Ultraview Sunroof·heated and ventilated Front Seats·adaptive Cruise Control

safety·Side Blind Zone alert, when changing lanes radar sweeps both sides of Srx. when vehicles approaches close a red light will flash on your rear view mirror.

2014 Cadillac SRX

bleu magazine

BoDY

20

2

1

Fight the Flu!Catching a cold sucks! point! Blank! period! when the temperatures fall we all at some point or another catch the flu. dealing with the runny nose, scratchy eyes, and throbbing heads may sound like natural progression, but there are ways to fight the flu. the fight against germs may sound futile, but Influenza is a tyrant that you can combat with these five tips.

Washing Your Hands manners are not a universal concept, proof of that can be found in the subways of new york City. often times peoples hands have been in places you dare not imagine. avoid the mis-steps by carrying hand sanitizers and washing your hands when you can.

Drinking Orange Juice the body is only but so strong and can fight but for so long. give your immune system a

boost by drinking some oJ. the vitamin C is what the doctor ordered.

bleumagazine.com 21

5

43Soup

mom’s recipe is the homie! warm soup is the key to opening up your sinus palette and lib-erating your senses. any flavor will do as long as the soup is warm.

Gargling With Salt Water Sore throat? no problem. gargling warm salt water will sooth your sore throat and clean your pearly whites. to be clear I just made the part about the teeth cleaning up.

Vapor Rub when throats get scratchy, the vapor rub gets handy. Struggling to communicate with a chronic cough is not sexy. why not tame the beast by applying a little vapor rub.

The influenza virus is extremely hardy. The flu virus can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. During the flu season, 59% of surfaces in home can be contaminated with the flu virus. The Flu virus can travel up to twelve feet through the air at 100 mph.

sourcesVital statistics: centers for Disease control and Prevention (cDc)surface statistics: the occurrence of influenza a virus on household and Day care center fomites”; s.a. Boone,c.P. Gerba, Journal of infection, 2004

bleu magazine

GrooMInG

22

The Scent of Blackthere is nothing like great smelling cologne. you know the kind that lingers as you exit the room? Usually making heads turn and prompting questions such as, " what is that dude wearing and where can I pick up a bottle?" your cologne is a telling sign of the kind of man you are. are you the dapper dude with the tupac mantra, All Eyes on Me? maybe you're the man who enjoys a simple and fresh look. are you the ladykiller whose intelligence is coupled with innate swag?

If any of these personas resonate with you - I’ve got good news, finding the perfect cologne for any occasion will put the “I” in your image.

Burberry Brit rythym

A sexy, provocative scent inspired by the exhilarating adrenaline rush of live music and the electric energy of the crowd.

$32-$80

bleumagazine.com 23

Bottega Veneta Pour Homme

Fresh, intriguing and understated- BVPH enchants with woody and aromantic notes woven into a sensuous scent that evokes the brand’s signature leather creations.

$80-$110

Tom Ford Noir

An Oriental, sensual fragrance that captures the twin facets of the Tom Ford-man. The

refined, urbane sophisticate who everyone gets to see and the intriguingly sensuous,

private man they don’t.

$90-$125

Nordstrom atomizer

An empty spritzing container tiny enough to fit in your suit jacket or hidden pocket when you need to refresh.

$5

I love New York for all by Bond No. 9

An easy-to-wear; easy to love fragrance. A velvety smooth java infusion where full bodied geranium meets sandalwood with street smarts.

$105-$175

bleu magazine

FUeL

24

Winter ales

Sierra Nevada Celebration ale

ABV 6.6%

Widner Brother Brewing Company ‘Pitch Black IPa”

ABV 6.5%

allagash Black ABV 7.5%

Innis & Gunn “rum Cask oak

aged Beer” ABV 7.4%

deschutes Jubelale

ABV 6.7%

bleumagazine.com 25

North Coast Brewing Company

“pranQster” ABV 7.6%

Kona Koko Brown ABV 5.5%

Brooklyn Winter ale ABV 6.1%

Uinta “labyrinth Black

ale” ABV 13.2%

odell Isolation ale

ABV 6.1%

Inebriation is good for the soul, well at least that is the philosophy of #teamBleu around the holidays. what

better way to warm up than to chug a beer! Forget that fancy shit and get turnt!

bleu magazine

trAVeL

26

ARKANSASLITTLE ROCKLITTLE ROCK

bleumagazine.com

LIttLe roCk, Ar

27

the South is not all the same. however, there is a common deep

sense of pride and desire for progression that I have found while

traveling south of the mason-dixon line. From rolling hills of lush

green to smiling faces from full stomachs, arkansas, the land and it’s

people, are charming and inviting.

to be fair, there was some hesitation to attempt this journey. after all,

(arkansas was a Confederate State) this is a place that many have fled

from in search for freedoms and liberties once denied. there is no way

I, the son of school principal and descendent of slaves, could deny the

scars placed on my ancestral legacy as I boarded the plane at new

york’s John F. kennedy International airport.

In the week leading up to my trip, I shared with many friends and family

that I was headed to arkansas and my first stop was going to be in little

rock. “why on Earth would you go there” was often the response. Some

didn’t even bother to utter a word, just eye rolls and shoulder shrugs.

regardless of what they said or didn’t say, I was not going to cancel my

trip. the chance to walk in the footsteps of history was far too enticing.

the added frequent flyer miles didn’t hurt either.

I slept most of the flight. that always happens when luck provides an

empty row and a window seat. with a few eye blinks before I knew it we

had landed in little rock. the heat greeted my exit from the plane with

a faint breeze. I hit the ground running. there was a lot of ground to

cover and very little time in my 3-day visit to cover all on my to-do list.

my first destination was little rock Central high School. talk about

heavy! this is the place that on September 30th 1957, nine afri-

can-americans, known to history as the "little rock nine", were denied

entrance to the school by an angry mob and school officials. president

dwight d. Eisenhower had to order troops in to escort the students

safely inside the school. the structure is beautiful and looks just as

grand as it does in all the pictures and documentaries I have seen. what

is also inspiring is that the school is still an active school. the students

are full of passion and desire to learn. I had a chance to sit and speak

to a few of them about being in this atmosphere and learning in such

a significant place in american history. Education is something that is

taken for granted in this country. however, seeing the students of all

races and ethnic backgrounds working together and filling the halls with

laughter and friendship cements why it was so important for those nine

children to enter.

next up on my journey was the mosaic templars Cultural Center. Quan-

tia Fletcher, assistant director and Jennelle primm, director of public

programs, gave me a tour of the space and an oral history of the mosaic

templars. the organization was founded in 1882 and played a signifi-

cant role in african-american culture in little rock. From life insurance

to economic support the organization helped the community grow and

prosper until the great depression.

day one was rounded out at the Clinton presidential Center. though,

not necessarily a place of african-american history, president Clin-

ton has deep roots in arkansas as well as the Black community. the

Where History Runs Deep And Culture Abounds

Words by DéVon Johnson

little rock Central high School

bleu magazine

trAVeL

28

structure is awesome and sits on over 30 acres of land. there is even a

replica of the oval office from the Clinton years in the white house on

the third floor. there are photos on the president and many of the world

leaders he met while in office cascading every wall. gifts from foreign

dignitaries are on display also.

my visit flew by faster than I expected. I fell in love with arkansas in

just three days. with my personal destinations checked off my list, I

spent the rest of the days crisscrossing between little rock, north

little rock, and Bentonville. there were so many amazing people that I

met that helped affirm that arkansas has moved forward. history is still

respected. however rather than a crutch, it is the fuel to move forward.

without moving forward the cultural advances would be overshadowed

and unnoticed. From art to fine dining, arkansas has it all. Following

are a few places to eat, visit and lodge while planning your trip to this

amazing place. ★

who to ContaCt BEForE yoU go:

Arkansas Department of Parks & tourism

tourism division

1 Capitol mall

little rock, ar

(402) 471 1558

www.visitnebraska.gov

Bentonville Convention & Visitor Bureau

104 E. Central

Bentonville, ar 72712

(479) 271- 9153

www.bentonville.org

whErE to Eat- Little Rock

Crush wine Bar

318 n. main Street

north little rock, ar 72114

(501) 374-9463

ristorante Capeo

425 main Street


(501) 376-3463

www.capeo.us

starving Artist Café

411 main Street

argenta arts district


(501) 372- 7976

www.starvingartist.net

whErE to Eat- Bentonville

eleven

Crystal Bridges museum of america art

600 museum way


(479) 418- 5700

the Hive

21c museum hotel Bentonville

200 nE a Street


(479) 286-6500

www.21cmuseumhotels.com

tusk & trotter

110 SE a Street


(479) 268-4494

www.tuskandtrotter.com

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

bleumagazine.com 29

William J. Clinton Presidential Center

attraCtIonS- Little Rock

Clinton Presidential Center

william J. Clinton Foundation

1200 presidential Clinton ave

little rock, ar 72201

(501) 374- 4242

www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org

Hearne Fine Art

1001 wright avenue, Suite C


(501) 372- 6822

www.hearnefineart.com

Little rock Center High school national Historic site

national park Service

2120 daisy gatson Bates drive


(501) 374- 1957

Mosaic templars Cultural CenterDepartment of Arkansas Heritage

501 w. ninth Street


(501) 683- 3593

www.mosaictemplarscenter.com

attraCtIonS- Bentonville

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

600 museum way


(479) 418- 5700

ww.Crystalbridges.org

walmart Visitor Center

105 north main Street


(479) 204- 6565

whErE to Stay- Little Rock

the Capitol Hotel

111 w. markham Street


(501) 374-7474

www.captialhotel.com

Double tree Hotel Little rock

424 w. markham Street


(501) 372- 4371

www.doubletree.com

embassy suites Little rock

11301 Financial Centre parkway


(501) 312- 9000

www.embassysuites.hilton.com/littlerock

Holiday Inn Presidential

600 Interstate 30


(501) 375-2100

www.hipresidential.com

Little rock Marriott

3 Statehouse plaza


(501) 906-4000

whErE to Stay- North Little Rock

Holiday Inn north Little rock

120 w pershing Blvd


(501) 758-1851

Holiday Inn express

4306 mcCain Blvd


(501) 945-4800

www.hiexpress.com

wyndham riverfront

2 riverfront drive


www.wyndham.com

whErE to Stay- Bentonville

21c Museum Hotel

200 nE a Street


(479) 286-6500

www.21cmuseumhotels.com

bleu magazine

oP-eD

30

Photo by Menshealth.com

bleumagazine.com 31

This past august, the nation celebrated the 50th anniversary

of famed Civil rights leader martin luther king, Jr.'s "I have a

dream" speech and the march on washington. many used the

time to reflect on king's words and how far the country has

come. while the election of Barack obama is indicative of that progress,

we are still a long way from race not being an issue. rapper J. Cole

made that apparent in an interview published by the huffington post,

expressing his thoughts on colorism in the United States. Cole argued,

"Barack obama would not be president if he were dark skin... I might

not be as successful as I am now if I was dark skin. I’m not saying that

for sure, I’m still as talented as I am and obama is still as smart as he is,

but it’s just a sad truth."

a sad truth it is. while not racism, colorism is still prevalent, prompting

many within and without the black community to ask which skin is the

right skin. Colorism is a form of discrimination in which a person is

discriminated against based on the color of their skin. oftentimes, this

discrimination occurs on a subconscious level. during slavery, lighter

skin was bridled over dark. having lighter skin equated a better chance

of survival as slaves of a fair complexion were less likely to be forced

into hard labor as they lived and served in the master's house. Since

the time of slavery, there exists an unspoken hierarchy of sorts within

the black community as a result of colorism many blacks continue to

believe that life is better when one's skin is lighter. Studies would seem

to confirm this as, according to the Bureau of labor Statistics, the unem-

ployment rate among Black americans for august of this year was 13.5

percent, while white americans experienced an unemployment rate of

5.5 percent; and according to Cnn, Black men continue to suffer a 10 to

12 percent difference in income when compared to their white counter-

parts. this isn't just the case within the job market; the same inequality

exists within the penal system. a 2011 study conducted by villanova

University, published in the Social Science Journal found that among

black prisoners, those considered to be of a lighter skin tone received

more lenient prison sentences and served less time behind bars. these

ineffectuals prompt many dark skin blacks to resort to drastic measures

to improve their social standing.

Enter skin bleaching. Commonly considered to be an issue that solely

affects black women, skin bleaching is becoming popular among black

men too. the most notable black men to partake in this trend are

baseball player, Sammy Sosa and reggae artist, vybz kartel. the latter

produces a line of skin bleaching creams, called vybz Skin and Body

Brightener. men tend to engage in skin bleaching for many of the same

reasons as women, believing lighter skin to be socially acceptable, as

well as accepted aesthetically by the opposite sex. many Blacks liken

the trend to tanning among whites; but just as tanning has harmful

effects so does skin bleaching.

Skin bleaching products reduce melanin, the main determinant of

pigment, in skin. most skin brighteners and fade creams contain cor-

ticosteroids and hydroquinone, a skin bleaching agent often used to

treat some skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, and to fade dark marks

caused by scarring from acne, age spots, or sun damage. however,

too much of these agents can lead to permanent skin bleaching, skin

thinning (making it difficult for skin to repair itself and heal), redness,

irritation, and even acne. So in the end, the quest for what's socially

acceptable becomes more trouble than it's worth.

It's been 50 years since king's iconic speech. while we continue to

make strides in certain areas of race relations in the nation, colorism is a

deep wound that continues to affect black and brown communities and

the nation as a whole. most wounds require air and a little time to heal.

By exposing these societal ills, we begin the healing process. how long

will it take? only time can tell. ★

skin bleaching is becoming more prevalent among black men. what’s the cause?

SKIN MATTERS words by: kiara gillette

bleu magazine

ArtFUL LIVInG

32

theBlue Print

bleumagazine.com

JoHn-PAUL

33

the

At A rUn Down tAttoo sHoP in a small new hampshire

town, a hopeful kid sat without a fear. the clients waiting next to him

shook and fidgeted in their seats, imagining a tiny needle stabbing their

skin thousands of times. he held a wrinkled piece of scrap paper and it

didn’t take a forensic handwriting specialist to know a different person

wrote each word in the two-word phrase. From behind a thick, dark

curtain, a bearded man called the confident, kind of “Bro-ey”-looking kid

into a tiny, closet-like room. the fidgeting of waiting clients kicked into

high gear as the buzzing began.

when the buzzing stopped, John-paul Zarba left the tattoo shop with a

life-long token never to sell his dreams short.

“I got tattoos on my middle fingers - “nothings” in my mother’s hand-

writing, and “Impossible” in my father’s - as a constant reminder to

keep on giving it everything you have,” the self-proclaimed “culdisac

kid” explains.

now, an engineer in the Big apple with a serious knack for artistic ex-

pression, John-paul admits life is a little rushed in his new surroundings,

“I love the tenacity and persistence in the air, but in order to be sustain-

ably successful I have to apply the lessons learned from [new hamp-

shire] and blend them with the pace I find my self surrounded with.”

taking the leap to live by new york City never intimidated John-paul.

From the age of 16-years-old he knew he wanted to pursue an art ca-

reer but refused to live a struggling artist’s lifestyle. his undergraduate

degree in Civil Engineering and Business was merely a stepping-stone

to put food in his mouth and pay the nagging landlord. after a few years

staggering through the modeling industry and upholding a personal

standard of “all-natural” body building, his pace changed. now, John-

paul has notebooks stuffed with inspiration for future works of art, a

living space cluttered with nearly 50 finished pieces and room corners

with remnants of inspirations lost.

John-paul lives in a one-bedroom apartment – but sleeps in the living

room, “I needed a studio,” he laughs, “you gotta have your priorities in

check.” this shouldn’t be a problem given John-paul’s non-committal re-

lationship status and linen closet full of disney bath towels he claims his

mom bought so he wouldn’t lose them. But, don’t bash the no-girlfriend,

disney prince, workaholic just yet. he’s got some gentlemanly defenses

behind the lady-less lifestyle.

Blue Printof Dreams

wItH noteBook In HAnD, FILLeD wItH InsPIrAtIons, ArtIst JoHn-PAUL Is PAIntInG tHe town tHe wAY He sees It.

words by Janine mitchellphotography by owen duckett

bleu magazine

ArtFUL LIVInG

34

he claims, “I have been in serious relationship in the past … I know what

a girl deserves and while trying to secure a future my self, present and

future loved ones it’s just not the right time.”

and, to provide his future dream girl the life she deserves, he envisions

an art gallery rolling cohesively from one piece to the other. John-paul’s

artwork has no boundaries. he paints murals and large-scale wall piec-

es and sculpts using wood and stone. to him the medium of art is not as

important as the expression behind it.

“I classify myself as an expressionist … I’d love to do more custom piec-

es. Clients can come to me with a thought, image or color scheme and

we’ll talk about it, about the feelings. From there I’d pull different pieces

and create based off of that,” John-paul says.

he envisions his extravagant work in lobbies of grandiose hotels, madi-

son Square garden or public gardens.

of his future artistic displays, the young artist says, “I want people to

look once to judge it and come back and look again to feel it.”

John-paul pushes through days and nights, literally, without a doubt in

his mind, “a dream to me is not a fantasy, it is an obtainable idea.”

It’s evident the young man has creativity shooting through his bone

marrow as he explains, “Every piece I bring to life had a specific inten-

tion or inspiration. having the ability to communicate through images is

beautiful. Stating something with complete silence allows for the viewer

or the client to create their own opinions and attachment.”

For most of us, an uncertain goal is hard to stick to. But, in John-paul’s

mind, which is sculpted by an ideal combination of analysis and creativi-

ty, the dream is the blue print.

the artist concludes, “as an engineer looking at a set of blue prints it

is a path to completion, no matter how tall the building is. these blue

prints are directions to see that the building starts and finishes.” ★

To contact John-Paul, look him up on Facebook or Instagram by the

name of CuldisacKid. Check out his portfolio at www.CuldisacKid.com

or shoot him an email at [email protected].

bleumagazine.com

JoHn-PAUL

35

A dream to me is not a fantasy, it is an obtainable idea.

bleu magazine

trenD AVe

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woolrICh woolEn mIllS

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rogan

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dSQUarEd2

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dIESEl BlaCk gold

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CoVer storY

B.O.B raPS withoUt LiMitSB.o.B isn’t setting out to change the way we listen music, instead he is expressing himself through experimentation.

words by ryan LyonsPhotography by elton andersonStyled by apuje Kalu

hat by new era; bomber jacket by G-star rAw; shirt by

Hugo Boss; tie by H&M; tie bar by the tie Bar; watch by

silvano Apparel; jeans by topman

bleu magazine44

I’m thinking about doing a rock album next; I really don’t

give a fuck what the rules are, but I’m finna pull out the

guitar on y’all niggas,” responds Bobby ray Simmons Jr.

the rapper also known as B.o.B. seems to have slipped

into a few of the boxes the industry has created for his

art. nevertheless, he appears to be eager to escape

them after his most recent and most mainstream project.

after listening to a selection of songs from his upcoming lp,

Underground Luxury, it’s clear where he has found inspiration-

somewhere below the Southern belt where the pole reigns

supreme. Few may recognize the one time collaborator with

Bruno mars as his music makes him sound more like a magic

City regular than the love sick lyricist he portrayed in his

mainstream debut.

the demanding bass line of his hit single “headband” could

easily convince miley to assault robin thicke with twerk yet

again. “headband” leans on mainstream radio’s current fixa-

tion with 2 Chainz-esque frequent 808 claps and consistent

whistles. It’s reminiscent of Bubba Sparxx’s “miss new Booty”

and trillville’s “Some Cut.” In other words, it’s projected to be

a hit.

B.o.B acknowledges his current club scene inspirations and

remarks that he’s been letting his current work marinate

before it hits shelves. It’s not unheard of for atlanta rappers to

find solace in the a’s well-known strip clubs. atlanta’s classic

lp’s like outkast’s Stankonia and ludacris’s Back For The

First Time have clear influences. But this reliance on gentle-

man’s club culture is unexpected from an artist like B.o.B. who

was once regarded for his poignant cultural observations.

anyone who tuned in for his earlier work like “generation

lost” and know his eloquent thoughts about the plight of

american youth would question what’s changed him.

Fans enthralled with his previous sound compared him to leg-

endary atlien, andre 3000. It’s a fair comparison considering

their shared hometown of atlanta, penchant for the guitar, and

a way of nonchalantly spitting cold truths. But day-one fans

caught a tough break with the release of his debut album,

The Adventures Of Bobby Ray. the album sounded more pop

than the mixtapes that contributed to his initial fame- an all too

familiar narrative repeated time and again over these past few

years in hip hop. despite the criticism, B.o.B. went on to sell

more than 84,000 copies during the album’s first week and

nab a grammy nomination. apparently, he was doing some-

thing right with collaborative singles like “nuthin’ on you” with

Bruno mars and “airplanes” with hayley williams.

It’s clear a lot has changed since t.I. brought the conscious

artist into his hustle gang empire. B.o.B has toured the world

only to return to atlanta’s signature sound. when asked about

“

hat by new era; jacket by Blauer;

crew neck by Parish-nation;

watch by Adidas; jeans by Zara

B.o.B

Southern music’s influence abroad, B.o.B mentions australia’s

love for trap music. “I think it’s funny how atlanta influences

people around the world, and no one realizes it. I ran into

these white girls, and they were like we’re just getting on to

Future and 2 Chainz.” despite this, B.o.B has always avoided

a de facto alignment with black radio. ray describes his mu-

sical expression when he says, “music is entertainment. a lot

of what’s on Underground luxury is unfiltered thoughts. I got

the more cerebral records. I like to go the strip club and I like

to do research. It’s all on there.”

his attempt to defend his lyrical ability on his retort to kend-

rick lamar’s verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” took an interesting

twist when the rapper was on a guitar before the two minute

mark. moments such as these showcase the artist’s diverse

musical sensibilities. the atl bred rapper continues when

he says, “It’s a competitive sport, and that was me getting

on the court and letting them know what I can put on the

scoreboard.”

his new tunes reflect a smorgasbord of things he’s learned

from collaborations with pop stars and rappers. It’s not quite

street anthem music, but it’s not pop’s top 40 either. the

variation is evident during a live performance of his single

“ready” at Fader’s vitamin water Uncapped, a concert col-

laborative series that turns ordinary places into music halls.

this time, at the new york City general Society library, grand

hustle label mates, Future and B.o.B relish in the bass-rid-

den, hook driven format that’s hot internationally. a crowd of

Brooklyn hipsters nod their heads in agreement. this single

is both an affirmation of Future’s popularity despite his low

key personality and how street music has expanded beyond

a strictly street fan base.

B.o.B embraces the balancing act that his music has created.

Following his performance with hot 97’s peter rosenberg

and Ebro, B.o.B stated, “I’m glad rappers are starting to

realize we’re rock stars.” he’s dressed the part in all black

"A lot of what’s on Underground Luxury are unfiltered thoughts. I got the more cerebral records."

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bleu magazine

CoVer storY

46 bleu magazine

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by slate and stone; shirt by wrk;

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boots by H.H. Brown

bleumagazine.com

B.o.B

47

attire, leather pants with zippers, a beanie and Jordans (6-

black and gold edition). he follows up saying, “I don’t really

care anymore because I just want to make something that’s

jamming.”

his casual remark speaks volumes about where rap is head-

ed and echoes kanye west’s recent sentiments about his

own limits within rap culture. during a recent interview with

Zane lowe, west was doubtful that hip-hop artists would ever

realize the genre’s full potential to change the world. artists

have to choose to either hold on to the concrete substance

or begin to make music that makes black people more social-

ly accepted in the public eye. Is Jay-Z’s yelling, “twerk miley,

twerk” truly the entirety of our culture’s substance?

artists are constantly juggling their responsibilities to stim-

ulate wealth and keep it real. as a result, an ipod shuffle

playlist of recent rap hits demonstrates a genre in a constant

state of evolution. the ebb and flow makes it difficult to pre-

dict future directions or sounds. It would appear that B.o.B is

the musical personification of the current state of hip-hop.

“I never aspired to be a pop star, but it kind of just happened

that way because of the music I got into when I got older. as

a kid, I didn’t have the palette for it. now, I think it’s like no

matter what the music is perceived as, it’s still going to have

my signature. It’s still going to have that Bobby ray sound on

it.” after a few seconds he proceeds to say, “when you grow

as an artist, you’re always going to have a wide perspective.

I can’t say the way that I make my records has changed, but

the place that my records have come from has evolved. I

don’t really make music from a judgmental place like when I

first started. I was really opinionated, and I still am, but now in

a more free spirited way I think.”

as the interview drew to a close, I left understanding that

B.o.B is expressing himself as an artist. Since his music

comes from a place of exploration, it provides the listeners

with a chance to grow with the rapper. maybe B.o.B has a

lot more in common with fellow rapper andre 3000 than we

thought. only time can confirm if our suspicions are true. ★

"I like to go the strip club

and I like to do research."

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nooka; jeans by G-star rAw; shoes

by ruthie Davis

Photography by vince chase

Styling by @Dexrob

bleu magazine48

49

Jacket ralph lauren; Shirt Zanerobe

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Shirt Character hero; necklaces noir, watch nixon

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bleu magazine

FeAtUre

54

Be sure to follow Eric West on Facebook,

Twitter, and Instagram: @EricXWest. For

more info, check out www.eric-west.com.

Photo by click click by Georgia : elizabeth Georgia Jury

bleumagazine.com

erIC west

55bleumagazine.com

Fe

At

Ur

e

w hen he was cut from his high school

basketball team, michael Jordan

locked himself in his room and cried. walt

disney was fired from a local newspaper

because he “lacked imagination and had no

original ideas.” after being turned down by a

recording company that said, “we don’t like

their sound,” the Beatles went on to become

one of the greatest music acts of all time. what

do all these celebrities have in common? they

let absolutely nothing stop them from pursuing

their dreams, and they all achieved greatness

just by being themselves. now, in a world

where everyone is trying to be the next big

thing, one Brooklynite is assuming that throne

quite naturally…simply by being himself.

ON YOUR MARK…

Born and raised in Brooklyn, new york, Eric

west (born Eric rosa) has been invested in

the industry since he was just 13. delving into

the music world, west found out quick what

all it took to stay afloat. “I started doing music

around 13 or 14,” says west. “I had to take time

away from it [though] because I was missing a

lot of school, and my life and schedule were

just crazy.”

Understanding the importance of education

to any career field, Eric took a step back from

finding his place in the spotlight until after he

finished high school. Slightly wavering from his

first love of music, Eric began to develop an at-

traction to another art form. “around 18 or 19 I

thought about acting. It wasn’t my first my love,

but the more I researched and rehearsed, the

more I got into it [and] loved it,” says west. “I

work so long every day [with acting], but each

day is better than the last because of the new

experiences I constantly encounter.”

…GET SET…

In between rehearsals and tapings and

costume fittings, Eric west makes sure to find

time to just be himself. Be it a stroll around

Central park or a saunter down time Square,

Eric takes in every day and just uses it. with

his everyday life being a direct reflection of

his personal style, Eric has caught the highly

respected eyes of the fashion gods, as they

cosign his threads and throw him into an arena

of classic, coveted style. “I’ll wear anything,”

says Eric. “I grew up in new york City. you see

so many people wearing so many things…I just

get inspired by everyone.” Inspired by what

he sees on the street, Eric is self-sufficient

with his style. “I don’t really have a stylist, so

it always works out because what you see is

actually me. It’s a good representation of what

I like.”

with his personal, stylist-less style set, Eric

west has been awarded a number of acco-

lades in fashion and entertainment. this year

alone, Eric was ranked one of Cosmopolitan’s

hot actors of 2013, and he was named one

of mtv’s top Five Breakout Stars of 2013.

In 2012, he was named a Style Innovator by

Conde nast, the mount olympus of fashion

publishing (that’s GQ, Vogue, and DETAILS, to

be specific).

with plenty of television and movie appearanc-

es already under his belt, Eric remains humble

in every opportunity that comes his way.

“Everyone sees me as the next big thing, but

there’s so much more I need to do,” says west,

touching on his rapidly rising star. “I don’t even

feel like I’m halfway there.” his next project,

however, can certainly send Eric into orbit…

GO!!!

“It’s like the Snl for the MTV generation,

mixed with a little bit of girl Code.” giving a

good one-liner for his newest project, Eric

west is now a part of the cast of MTV’s new

sketch comedy show hey girl. giving a mod-

ern millennial twist on talking head comedy,

Hey Girl takes ammo from social platforms and

current web culture, and fires shots at topics

like dating, friendship, fashion, body issues,

and embarrassing moments (among others)

through musical parodies, animated shorts,

sketches, and man-on-the-street segments.

premiering the same night as the 2013 vmas,

the show’s four-episode sneak peak gives way

to regular weekly airing starting october 2013.

not wanting to give too much away before

the official premier, Eric west shared a few

tidbits to look forward to with Bleu magazine.

“there’s this one funny skit where I play an

American Idol / X-factor-esque judge. that

episode has to be my favorite episode of the

season.” pair that with an ensemble cast of

comedians, bloggers, and online personalities,

and toss in a slew of celebrity guest appear-

ances, Eric says “It’s just really fun, and I think

people will like it.”

PHOTO FINISH

Just a kid from Brooklyn living a good life,

Eric west’s story can be that of any and every

up-and-comer. whether he’s relaxing at home

as Eric rosa, or strutting his stuff on the red

carpet as Eric west, his journey to where he is

now serves as inspiration to many. In a world

where everyone is trying to be the next best

thing, all Eric west wants people to see is him

for who he is. mission: accomplished. ★

how the weSt waS wonRising Style Icon Eric West Stars in MTV's Hey Girl

words by kent olden

bleu magazine

sPotLIGHt

56

LeIGH

BUsH

who is leigh Bush? If you’ve been

a fan of r&B music his voice should

sound familiar. leigh is an industry

vet who has seen his share of up

and downs. though he’s been in

the industry all of his life, he has

this humbleness about him that is

refreshing to hear especially with

today’s celebrity culture. “I’m just a

normal dude blessed with extraor-

dinary gifts.”

at the start of our interview I

couldn’t get over my initial excite-

ment about his new project. after

all, how brave is it to shed the only

identity that your fans have come

to love over the years for someone

they won’t know at all? “leigh Bush

is an expansion of myself,” says

the black molasses vocalist. once

again we ask...who is leigh Bush?

leigh is the middle name and Bush

is the last name of Sammie, r&B

crooner who rose to popularity

in 1999. millions of teenage girls

grew up singing his songs. leigh

is poised to take his career to the

new heights by experimenting with

a new sound, look and even namE!

when I asked him what inspired the

change , Bush responded “I want

my fans to hear the new side of me,

one who is more transparent on

this album than he was on the last.

transparency is important. I believe

all artists should be transparent.”

with excitement in his voice he

described to me how he and leigh

are one in the same. as leigh, he

sings about falling in love for one

night, and finally opening up about

the challenges he faced in the

music industry. Bush presents an

opportunity to release “beautiful

music with no gimmicks,” as of late

the r&B formula consists of heavily

produced tracks and rap features.

leigh wants to return to smooth

melodic sounds which he enjoyed

as a child. his musical yoda’s

marvin gaye and Stevie wonder

inspired the smooth and simple

approach to his Ep.

the new Ep leigh Bush boasts

singles “dancer” and “Free Falling.”

“dancer” finds the Florida born

singer exploring the paths that

leads women to become exotic

dancers. “Some do it for the mon-

ey, others for the lifestyle. Some

receive the attention as a form of

love or reassurance,” croons Bush

over a sultry beat.

leigh probes the subject further

when he inquired about why she

enjoys the attention.

he follows up with “does she ever

get nervous? I thought it would be

dope to write a record that was

thought provoking as opposed to

the typical stripper records that

consume the airwaves today.”

Free Falling is a record with Bush

really gets into the spirit of idol

Stevie wonder. he carols about

a man falling in love first in the

relationship. It happens often, the

subject is not often discussed from

man’s prospective. “Free Falling

is derived by a conversation I

was having with a friend of mine,

it is rare that a man falls harder

and first in relationships. I found it

refreshing.” leigh’s sound isn’t the

only thing maturing. his look is also

getting revamped as well. “I want

to go back to the days when men

sang r&B in a suit and tie.” leigh is

a business man who understands

the business and loves his fans.

hopefully his fans who sang with

him as a pre-teen will now sing with

him as a man. leigh is also taking

his knowledge of relationships and

putting them into a book called

“good to know.” he wants to write

from the point of view of a younger

guy. “I’ve read [think like a man

by Steve harvey and manology by

tyrese and rev run, they are awe-

some books, I feel we need a book

for our generation.” It’s obvious that

leigh with his new look and sound

is looking to take his fans on a new

journey. one question remains

though, is the name leigh Bush

here to stay? “It is up to the fans,

I’ll let them decide.” ★

the evolution of sammiewords by Amber kennedy

Ph

oto

by s

ea

n H

ow

ard

bleumagazine.com 57

JereMY

LUke a man on a missionwords by kirsten Lewis

arriving at your moment. that

moment you waited for patiently,

worked for relentlessly and imag-

ined endlessly finally arrives. all of

that and more can be said for the

multi-talented, Staten Island native,

actor Jeremy luke. Co-starring in

Joseph gordon-levitt’s directorial

debut film Don Jon, and snatching

up the starring role in the new tnt

drama Mob City, it is safe to say that

luke is quickly becoming a breakout

star for 2014.

“It’s really a great feeling; this is the

place in my career that I prepared

for five years ago,” says luke about

his recent major roles. assuring me

that although nothing has changed

drastically in his life in the way of

material things, he has definitely

taken notice and appreciates his

recent career success.

luke ‘s indie film Don Jon begins as

what seems to be a movie about a

very superficial and surface group of

friends, don, danny and Bobby, yet

it actually blossoms into a hilarious,

risqué, coming of age love story

for lead character don, played by

writer and director Joseph gordon

levitt. luke plays danny, best friend

to don.

danny’s character can be easily

described as a man on a mission,

the ultimate wingman; always down

to party and content with don’s

leftovers. If you’ve heard of the term

“taking one for the team,” danny is

the type of guy that would just take

one for himself. “danny is a week-

end warrior, partying and picking up

girls. I’ve prepared for this type of

role from the time that I was 15.”

having worked as a club promoter

in new york City for most of his early

adult life, luke found it easy to relate

to danny’s character. “definitely a

movie anyone 17 and older could

enjoy, it has a lot of heart and a great

message, and it’s hilarious.”

the 2013 Sundance Festival film

premiered to arousing approval.

holding off and making this his first

appearance at the festival, luke

talked up the great time he had

with fellow actors but admitted the

reaction the film received from the

festival-goers was the most fulfilling.

“Being at Sundance and watching

everyone react and laugh hysterical-

ly was awesome. It really felt good to

witness that first hand,” says luke.

the early success of Don Jon could

only be matched by ending the year

with another career high. thirteen

years in the acting business and a

laundry list of television show ap-

pearances later, luke will be depict-

ing 1940’s gangster, mickey Cohen

in his first lead television role.

Mob City, set to premiere december

2013, written by academy award

winner Frank darabont is based on

the true crime events of the 1940’s

and the rift between mobsters and

the l.a.p.d. under the leadership of

Chief william parker.

luke describes his character, mickey

Cohen, as a 5’3” poorly educat-

ed ex-boxer turned crime boss,

obsessed with being in the spotlight.

not the easiest to relate to but there

was one quality about mickey that

luke could attach himself to. “In

researching mickey,, I realized that

he was a likeable guy with good in-

tentions. he did his dirt, but he didn’t

really mess with anyone unless they

needed to be messed with.”

“not to get too method, but some-

thing just happens to me when I

change into my wardrobe. It’s kind

of strange. I just transform a little bit,

and I’ve never had that experience

with costume,” says Jeremy luke.

approaching the end of a busy year

and accomplishing such great career

success, you would think one would

be overwhelmed, but luke still

has his personal project turbo and

Joey in the works. loosely based

around his life in la with fellow actor

and close friend Joey russo, the

youtube web series has caused

quite a stir.

there is no sign of stopping for

Jeremy luke. to become involved

and support his success, be sure to

watch Don Jon and tune in this de-

cember to the tnt drama Mob City.

you can also subscribe to the turbo

and Joey youtube channel to get a

taste of the independent genius of

Jeremy luke. ★

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Photography by keith major // Fashion styling by alisha Crutchfield for Stylewise,

www.style-wise.com // Assisted by ndey touray // Make up by Suzana hallili using

makE Up ForEvEr and perfekt Beauty // Hair by hos hounkpatin

bleumagazine.com 59

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lEFt:

Carven dress

Bottom:

beaded bodysuit by MYM Collection

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top:

lace gown by Christopher Lamont;

Adrienne Landau fur

rIght:

custom patent leather dress by Christopher

Lamont; peplum skirt belt by Dramatk Fanatic

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ronnie “ro” James is the son of a preacher

man. however, you will not find him

cloaked in a robe nor seated in a pulpit. the

r&B rebel, prefers to exude “bad boy” with

his staple motorcycle jacket and cowboy hat

as he insightfully delves deep to prove he is

not just another r&B singer on the come-up. a

new york- based crooner, James uses life as a

resource, pulls from his travels, and romantic

relationships to generate emotions that fuel

his ballads.

ro’s musicianship stemmed from the yearning

to voice his emotions after a failed relationship

with his girlfriend. the result is his newest

three-part Ep, Coke, Jack and Cadillacs. the

Ep, takes us on an unabridged journey of nos-

talgic experiences which reveal his thoughts

on relationships and personal growth. It also

contains a few elements of symbolism. “Coke

stands for the woman, Jack stands for myself

and Cadillac is about my first car- an El dorado

Cadillac, my father gave me,” he reveals.

ro gave us a teaser this summer with the drop

of pledge allegiance, the debut single from

Coke, Jack and Cadillacs. the song is a prom-

ise to his woman as well as his fans.

James’ sound is a coming of age soliloquy.

he artistically gives listeners a blueprint for

listners to understand his growth, where he

has been, and where he aspires to go. he has

been compared to the likes of d’angelo and

miguel. despite the epic chatter surrounding

the artist, James shares “I was a little fearful of

my voice. I had to grow. I had to evolve.”

growing up ro had no aspirations to be a

singer. he just knew he wanted to leave India-

napolis, Indiana and move back to new york,

where he spent the majority of his childhood.

teaching or social work was ro’s original plan,

not singing. It appears that you can’t fight your

nature as the urban goth soon yeilded to his

love of music.

his father, a military man and non-denomina-

tional preacher, could sing. ro’s upbringing

played a tremendous role in helping him to

forging his artistry. he knew he had the sensi-

bilities of a musician, picking up the drums at

the age of 9 for a short time. But motivation to

use his natural instrument was lacking. ro re-

counts, “It was more so a thing where I felt like

I was being forced to do it.” ro’s father would

have him sing in church.

“my parents weren’t really strict, but they were

firm in their decisions about the type of music

we listened to.”

despite the musical restrictions growing up

his father supports his aspirations to become

an artist. “he never said don’t do r&B music.”

although the relationship had its give and

takes, he was always encouraging. “I was shy

because it’s what made me most vulnerable.

he would put me on the spot in church,” he

admits. nevertheless James always felt he

could sing and stuck to his guns in pursuit of

his ambitions. “I set out to prove them wrong

and prove them that I can be original.”

James’ approach to music is rooted in story-

telling. “Sometimes I’ll write a song without

a track and build around it. Sometimes I can

hear something and it puts me in a particular

mood.” James explains that his newest album

is about ‘the journey.’

“It has allowed me to interact with different

people from different places and different

states. I was exposed to…different genres of

music. It has helped me to adapt.”

of course being a pastor’s kid, prompted

rebellion. “I always did what I wanted to do.

It gave me balance, because it allowed me to

know the difference between right and wrong.

I’m bad but I’m good.” the embrace of his

instincts encouraged the singer to pickup the

drums, while attending a church in hawaii. his

dad then went out and bought him his first

pearl drum set. the encouragement from his

family let the dance to a beat of his own drum.

living in new york one encounters many

different people. you are lucky if you encoun-

ter people who “get you.” James has found

such a bond through building a collaborative

relationship with a group of other artists; their

union is called “the Jackets.” Comprised of

rnB upstarts luke James, Bridget kelly, wyn-

ter gorden, leah labelle, and olamide Fasion

the collective was birthed by ro’s insperation

of his motorcycle, he started the collective.

“I am inspired by every single person in this

journey, it hasn’t been an easy one.”

although James is apart of the Jackets, he

remained unaffiliated with a record label.

he currently is the only Jacket to boast and

independent lifestyle. “I think in the beginning

it was very important to be independent artist

and set the tone for how my art should form.

I think being independent really allows artist

to be artist,” says James of his current label

status.

It would appear that singing and being flipping

cool are all in a days work for ro James.

whether he is pushing out hot tracks or blaz-

ing the stage in a city near one thing is clear.

whatever ro is selling, we are buying. ★

the Son of a Preacher ManRnB’s Devout Disciple

words by Priscilla ward

bleumagazine.com

ro JAMes

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whoever came up with the term, “those who can’t do, teach” have

never been more ridiculously wrong. I’d like introduce to you the pro-

fessors who have sparked and shaped the minds of the youth in their

respective colleges and universities for years. they continue to teach

subjects that impact our culture and continue in their quest to change

world. these are the innovators, the writers, the teachers, the speakers,

the philosophers and the modern day greatthinkers of our generation.

oh yeah, and they are oh so damn cool. >>

the

new coolof

SchooLWords by Larryse Brown

bleumagazine.com 67

he’s an author, a radio show host, a father,

a community leader, a husband and he

attempted to run as a nominee for the 2007

presidential election. all that he has done is

just a humble day’s work for morgan State

University professor, dr. Jared Ball. Chatting

with dr. Ball and listening to him-really hearing

him speak, (that if you’re not listening to care-

fully, could bare a dangerous resemblance to

the sound of intellectual jargon) reminds me

that I’m speaking with a revolutionary mind.

he’s a whole hearted believer in the african

american community living up to its potential.

Everything that he does is in service to a kind

of enlightenment, one that upsets and threat-

ens american traditions. dr. Ball is a living

symbol of enlightenment chalked full of nerve

and audacity.

dr. Jared Ball began his journey to becoming

a professor after his own college experience

proved vital to him. “It was what I thought I

could do as a career. It was my contribution

to do for other students what had been done

for me. today, education is not something

designed to inspire but to impose norms and

I’m redefining what education looks like.”

professor Ball believes that hip hop is just one

of many essential tools for the face lift of edu-

cation but preaches that before fellow educa-

tors begin teaching hip hop whether that be in

the form of the ideas and concepts or lyricism,

we have to get back to the basics. “hip hop for

me has demonstrated that it can be a part of a

process that encourages people to think and

behave. It should be used in educational prac-

tices for young black and brown individuals

who already interpret hip hop. But if we really

want the youth to be properly educated then

we need- we have to ensure that they have a

decent place to live and sleep, that there are

small amounts of students in the classroom

and that students are trained and educated

by teachers who are genuinely invested in the

community. we need to see to it that teachers

have the skills and knowledge about the sub-

ject. I struggle with this idea of hip hop being

the special solution for dealing with black kids,

or some oppressed group without facing the

environment that created the problem in the

first place.”

a crash course to some of the ideas breeched

in dr. Ball’s classes cover the general topic of

the media’s control over the mass population

and the population’s ignorance to this. the

doctor speaks with conviction as he gives us

a verbal excerpt to a college lecture. “media

today is more pervasive with very rich, very

white, and very male individuals determin-

ing the world view of projection that comes

across. the ones featured usually have Euro-

centric features and that is what is considered

beauty. within the media, there is a grand

promotion of money and over consumption, it

is the weapon to secure ideological victories

over targeted populations. Free will is erased

and replaced. let me tell you, it’s not just a

movie, a song, a commercial, an advertise-

ment. It is the world view of people in the

business of producing these things, a world

view that we are buying into.

For a brief moment, Ball had his sights on

becoming the president of the United States

in the 2007 Election as a representative of

the green party. “I would never vote for a

democrat or a republican”, says the professor

who chastises obama for traveling to africa,

telling them that if they’re looking for someone

to blame for their disparities blame their own

african government instead of European

colonialism.

Ball continues, “what we’ve seen from him

(obama) is good from what we might expect

from any democratic president. the truth is,

much of what Barack is doing is worse than

george Bush. he spent more on the military

than Bush did, his affordable care act doesn’t

cover most of the african american working

class and he’s hiring the people who created

the debt problem in the first place.” he sums

up his earnest concerns in the guise of a

rant, to say boldly, almost too boldy, “obama

represents a false politics of what multiracial

existence in this country has meant.”

with the creation of his book “I mix what I like

(a mix tape manifesto)” dr. Jared provides a

broader range of what he calls the black radi-

cal tradition. what is the black radical tradition

you ask? anything to the left of the republican

party. “I promote afrocentricity.” Ball speaks

in such a way that the listener feels dared to

challenge him. the fact that you agree with his

statement is of little consequence. “I promote

the militancy of malcolm x. I promote anti-cap-

italist, anti-white supremacy and self-defense.”

Ball credits the Black panthers for their role

in advancing the struggle within african

american history. “I’m not saying that I agree

with the mindset, I am saying that its history

needs to be acknowledged. our community is

getting worse. I say, let’s study these histories

as we look to figure out how we are going to

improve our world.”

when asked about ways to promote improving

our world the mass media theory professor

calls Instagram, twitter, Facebook a means of

alienating ourselves from each other regard-

less of its intentions. “Studies have shown that

we are only really engaging in email, porn and

search engines. we use twitter to broadcast

every thought that we have and make other

people billionaires while we learn very little

about each other.

For his wit; for his intelligence, and mastering

the perfect combination of grit, brashness and

sense, dr. Jared Ball has gained our esteem.

Dr. JareD BaLL

the teacher of media vs. man

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this tenured professor’s resume includes

harvard’s graduate School of Education

professor and forerunner in Social policy, and

visiting Faculty member at the Indian School of

Business in hyderabad, India. dr. Blake-Beard

has match her accomplishments with top notch

education that includes a hefty accumulation

of a BS in psychology, an ma and a ph. d. in

organizational psychology from the University

of michigan.

Since 2002, she’s maintained her spot as

professor in the Simmons College School of

management where in her classes she lectures

on organizational behavior and cultural diversi-

ty in organizations.

“I examine mentoring relationships in the

context of gender and workforce diversity.”

her research has been published in the

Journal of Career development, the academy

of management Executive, the psychology

of women Quarterly, Journal of management

development, the Journal of Business Ethics,

human resource management Journal and

the diversity Factor. more than her published

work, what makes Blake-Beard’s our profile

pick is her focus on the role of gender and

leadership. For her project “Exploring the Im-

pact of mentoring on the Career Experiences

of Indian women” Blake-Beard challenges age

old dynamics between men and women in a

place where women still face the suppression

of a glass ceiling in the workplace and their en-

vironment. Blake-Beard reinforces her beliefs

in her graduate course, gender, diversity &

leadership in organizations.

“I see the work that I do as critical to helping

people to connect with one another in ways

that expand business opportunities and in-

crease organizational effectiveness. working in

organizations today requires a level of connec-

tion and interdependence in order to be effec-

tive. yet if one looks at how organizations are

constructed, employees are socialized and the

status quo is tolerated, we can see that there is

much about how we work today that fractures

relationships and undermines connections.”

Blake-Beard is candid in her philosophy that

success, in some ways, is more about the

connections you establish and the people

skills you acquire, than the hard work put in for

success. whether you agree with her or not,

Blake-Beard makes no apologies about spe-

cializing in the politics of people. She’d much

rather provide her students with frameworks

and competencies that build bridges between

people for what she calls “connection and

inclusion.” her ideas of inclusion are direct-

ed towards, african americans, women and

groups that might be looked at as separate

from white american society so that they can

flourish in the professional world.

putting her inclusion into motion she uses the

always classic but never outdated, mentoring

technique. “mentoring is a critical develop-

mental relationship that has impacted multiple

levels of interaction. It has the potential to pro-

vide a path for people across different groups

to find a path to one another.” Blake-Beard

continues, “oftentimes, when we are working

across dimensions of differences, we are not

sure what to expect and we sometimes rely on

stereotypes and other common (mis)informa-

tion to help us navigate relationships. men-

toring can be a powerful tool to give people

across different groups a roadmap to find one

another, to create meaningful relationships,

to delve beneath the surface to understand

your mentoring partner. In fact, the case for

mentoring is built on that one point – this is a

relationship that can impact individuals at mul-

tiple levels.” according to Blake-Beard the first

step to chasing your dreams (a step universally

applied to anyone and everyone) is picking out

the perfect mentor. Splashed on Blake-Beard’s

website is a reiteration of what she teaches.

according to her research individuals who

have been mentored are more likely to report

greater satisfaction, higher organizational com-

mitment, more promotions and higher salaries.

have you found your mentor today?

professor Blake-Beard teaches her students to

establish the courage to do what is necessary

to create a culture that allows for all to be

included. this commitment allows her students

to maintain their most valuable resource, what

she calls “human talent.”

Stacy BLaKe-BearD

A Mentor to many

bleumagazine.com 69

“don’t expect me to concern myself much with

what is trendy (in journalism) at this moment in

time. I’ve lived through eight-track tapes, Beta

recorders, and laser discs; I’ve heard how infi-

delity can keep a marriage lively and cocaine

isn’t an addictive drug. trendiness is overrated

when it isn’t outright wrong. my concern is

with tradition,” says Freedman. as a veteran

to the power of the proverbial pen, Freedman

is an award-winning author many times over,

a columnist for the new york times (where

he writes the column, “on religion”), and a

tenured Columbia Journalism School profes-

sor. he is all these things, and yet it takes a

careful kind of acknowledgement to bring

tribute to a man who professes that some of

what makes journalistic education fail, is when

it “settles for being a bunch of hero-worship-

ping students fawning over a star writer’s war

stories.” although his “war stories” scream

out in protest and insist that they be revered,

we’ll do our best to keep the hero worshipping

at a minimal. truthfully, Freedman’s sample

bibliography followed by his credentials don’t

begin to portray the success of his deeds and

get to the soul of the writer and teacher that

he is.

what makes dr. Freedman our profile pick

is precisely this: he is tragically human and

makes no apology that he should be anything

else. From the success of what is now his

seventh book tour and the maintenance of

a steady and heightened career, he doesn’t

pretend his accomplishments are an im-

pervious feat to all. In fact, he pretends at

nothing. growing up as a Jewish american his

passion is race in a historical context which

he advocates in his books “Upon this rock:

the miracles of a Black Church”, “Jew vs.

Jew: the Struggle for the Soul of american

Jewry” and his latest work, “goal to go: Black

College Football and the Struggle for Civil

rights” (which highlights american football

as an important attribute for the buildup of

black Colleges. this book is Freedman’s take

on how black colleges became engines of

intellectual and athletic achievement as well as

black advancement).

Freedman realized a simple truth at the age

of 13 that he wanted to be a writer and this

has been his truth ever since. Since then,

professor Freedman has built up a rapport that

instilled in him a mentality unlike many of his

students have ever seen before.

“I remember the weakest student in my first

Columbia class asking if he could skip a ses-

sion so that he could hear a speech by david

halberstam. “If you go to hear halberstam,”

I told him, “you’ll never be halberstam. I'm

interested in excellence and I'm only teaching

those who aspire to excellence.”

how Freedman materialized his success is

simple. "I was affirmed in my belief that intel-

lectual curiosity and a relentless work ethic

matter infinitely more than a natural ability in

achieving excellence."

while Freedman doesn’t believe in hero

worshipping, and would rather pride himself

on his ability to disillusion than dazzle, with his

in work ethic, moral ethos, integrity, intellectual

curiosity, and concern with the human condi-

tion he has gained our esteem and admiration.

“If I speak to you about painting or music or

drama, and I’m certain that I will, then I want to

introduce you to art that will elevate your cul-

tural literacy and, if I may be so bold, enhance

your life. the greatest journalists never settled

for only reading or watching or listening to

journalism; they looked for their models and

catalysts in literature, film, jazz, every great

art.”

ProfeSSor SaM freeDMan

sticking to his literay roots

bleu magazine70

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Styled by kwasi kessie and nakIm for gFCnewyork

Face Art by renee Sanganoo

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GOTHAMCITY

fASHION

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sCore

photograph by Sierra prescott

bleumagazine.com 81

International Man of Style

young turns heads on and off the court with

his wide array of clothes from versace to nike.

young says, “I see other guys wearing their

clothes and I always wanted to try something

and I wanted to kill it with my outfits. Every

time I go to the mall I can point out an outfit

I know other guys can wear. I see shirts that

russell westbrook would wear in the mall.”

the Swaggy p persona isn’t just for his off-

court lifestyle, young has quickly become

a pop-culture sensation for his on-court

footwear. rapper trinidad James has said nick

“Swaggy p” young is a guy that he would most

likely be like if he had to be in the league as

far as style goes, young takes James’ atten-

tion to his style as a compliment, “I’m cool

with trinidad James and I’ve met him. he got

some style to him.” as for what we can expect

on the court this season from the rising star

young says, “the league likes how we dress

and they see our own style. I know they have

a little show about what we wear and being a

laker it’s hard to match the purple and gold,

but I got a few surprises this year. I got some

nike air Foamposites that will match our

jersey and some other things I’ll wear, but for

now it’s a secret.”

with the nBa season in full-swing, nick young

has shown us that he knows what’s at stake.

teaming with kobe Bryant and reuniting with

former high school rival Jordan Farmer, young

explains, “Jordan reminds me that they won

and he beat me but I’ll remind him of how

many points I scored on him. and kobe is a

cool guy he takes his craft serious and he

loves basketball, but he has a cool personality

laughs and jokes with us. I love it.” young’s

athletic talent and expert taste in fly footwear

have already made him an exciting player to

watch this season. ★

Traveling the world and switching teams has left quiet the impression the Lakers new addition Nick Young.

The NBA player is injecting style in everything he does.

words by lamont wilson

bleu magazine

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82

the race for the top girl is on! the

hawaii bred lylaS are the next

group to put their bid in. the group’s

mantra is all in the name lylaS stands

for “love you like a Sister” and sisters

is what they are. presly, tiara, tahiti

and Jamie are the sisters who are

related to pop maestro, Bruno mars.

the lylaS’ want prove that their

brother Bruno is not the only member

of the family who can make it in music.

the musically gifted sisters grew up

together with their mother who was

a singer and their father who is a

percussionist. the music in their veins

makes the career choice seem more

instinct driven. “we love you Bruno

but it is our turn” tahiti can be heard

saying to the intro of the lylaS’ new

reality show on we tv. obviously

having an older brother in the industry

is helpful but it also means that the

ladies have to prove their talent.

when asked if they’d ever considered

coming out without mention of their

famous brother and the question was

met with silence, then a collective

“no.” “we love our brother and are

very proud of all that he has accom-

plished, people would have found out

anyway” says tiara. the challenge to

breakout of their brother’s shadow is

one they accept gleefully. their reality

show on we tv is the first step in that

direction.

reality tv has launched many a

career and the he sisters are hoping

for a similar experience. during the

show’s run the ladies allow us to peer

inside their lives as they cope with

transitioning to the mainland and well

as their day-to-day experiences as

new artists. when asked about the

difference between hawaii and Cali-

fornia? the sisters respond with haste

“the speed limit! In hawaii, the speed

limit is 35 mph and in California it is 55

mph. If you see a little woman driving

at 40 mph on the highway you know

it’s me!” tahiti laughs.

So they’ve made the big move, and

started their reality series. where’s

the music and what’s their sound?

“our sound is fun feel good music

with an island flavor,” says Jaime.

their newest single "Comeback" and

its accompanying video can be found

on youtube.

team Bleu is curious to hear what

other songs these ladies will release

given their diverse individual taste in

music. lyla’s inspirations include pink,

gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, Celine dion

and lauryn hill. all of these styles

together with a bit of island flavor

sounds like a good cocktail to us.

their brother has already proven he

can transcend traditional genre rules.

maybe the lyla’s can too. Either way

we are looking forward to it. ★

lylasThe Ultimate Sister Act

Words by Amber Kennedy

Currently airing on we tv.

left to right: tahiti, tiara, presley & Jaimie

bleumagazine.com 83

w ith biceps that shouted, “what

up yall,” before he uttered a

syllable, J. drew walked into Bleu’s

office in his camouflaged get-up,

shades, and his crew alongside him.

a warm smile and introductions later,

he took his seat, center stage so to

speak, and began to engage in far-

from-idle chatter.

the son of karen Clark Sheards of

the Sheards gospel dynasty, J. drew

has shaped his artistry atypical to ex-

pectations of some industry followers.

with r&B and hip-hop as his definitive

target, J emphasizes he is not a fresh-

man to rhythmic soul. “a lot of people

have been saying transition. It’s never

been a transition for me. I have always

did r&B, but I was more known for my

work in gospel.”

his ear for music and lyrical merit

rebukes confinement and the mass’s

genre limitations, as he is a die-hard

follower of beats from the street “I have

always been a fan of super hardcore

rap. rap has always influenced me, and

it’s a unique way of expressing yourself.

But you can’t express yourself and be

as creative in r&B as you can in rap. I

plan to kind of merge the two.”

In addition to bringing a new flavor to

his family’s name, J told Bleu that he

definitely wanted to bring a change to

the current state of r&B. he describes

how he flexes between the genres,

and the office burst with laughter as

he professes, “when you hear my

r&B stuff you won’t think ‘this same

nigga do gospel music! and when you

hear my gospel music, you won’t think

‘this same nigga do r&B!”

despite gospel industry pressure, the

23-year old college student maintains

his stance and remains firm in his

career decisions. “I am not a defiant

type. I don’t feel like I owe anybody

an explanation, and I don’t respond to

critics,” he stated.

what J. drew will do is show you

better than he can tell you. the man of

action allows his natural competitive

energy, discernment for the positive,

and loved ones guide his wisdom.

“I’m gon’ give you something to talk

about. I constantly spend time on the

phone with my team to come up with

ways to make things work. I never feed

into what the people say.” he pauses

momentarily, then continues. “I just lost

my best friend, and when you stumble

on these stumbling blocks you try to

figure out ways to get through, to look

for answers, to out think the average

person. If you get caught up, you start

to lose your own identity in this industry.

mad people got stuff to say, but I know

who I am. I stay true and I continue to

move forward.” ★

J. DrewHis Music, His Truth, His Destiny

Words by Namisha L. Joiner

Photo by elton anderson

bleu magazine

MAnCAVe

84

Cheers to the Freakin’ WeekendIn the famous words of the legendary Ron Burgundy, “I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly.” Who wouldn’t enjoy a nice glass of this fine spirit at home? Happy hour can get a little crowded, so invite some colleagues over to wind down at your place. A home bar is the best bar; if you don’t have one, here is a little inspiration.

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bleumagazine.com 85

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bleu magazine

BLeU LIst

86

Boy Meets World

Grand Central Station

Jay Z

Viacom

Deli

Black

Cardigans

Paper planes

Walter Whitman

Rihanna

Big Brother

Real World: The Challenge

Sevyn Streeter

Mellow Yellow

Red Velvet

Converse

Poland Spring

Snapbacks

Couples Therapy

Vanilla Parfait

Ciara

Orange Is the New Black

The Wolverine

Jamie Foxx

Teen Wolf

Andre 3000

Homeland

S'mac (restaurant)

Trayvon Martin

Kobe Bryant

Erykah Badu

Monsters University

CNN

Hennessy

Ciroc

Obey

Michael B Jordan

iPad

Patron

Ray Ban

DreamWorks Animation

The Container Store

Google, Inc.

NetApp

Quicken Loans Inc.

Devon Energy

Camden Property Trust

QuikTrip

Starbucks

Mattel, Inc.

Henry MCcoy

Warren Worthington

Scott Summers

Robert Drake

Jean Grey

Lorna Dane

Alex Summers

Kurt Wagner

Sean Cassidy

Ceceila Reyes

bleumagazine.com 87

ICon

Born in hollis, Queens, Joseph "run" Simmons, darryl "d.m.C." mcdan-

iels and Jason "Jam master Jay" mizell formed run-d.m.C. in 1981. with

their street-savvy fashion and hard-hitting rhymes that matched the hard

timbre of rock music, run-d.m.C. is credited with hip-hop's crossover

success and global influence today.

Breaking down barriers, run-d.m.C.'s career is distinguished by a

succession of firsts. they were the first hip-hop group to have a gold

album with their self-title in 1984, becoming the first to gain a grammy

nomination. In 1985 and 1986, the group became the first to earn plati-

num and multiplatinum distinctions with King of Rock and Raising Hell,

respectively. Solidifying their crossover appeal, run-d.m.C. became the

first hip hop group to have videos played on- then predominantly rock-

mtv, and to grace the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine.

their iconic b-boy style, donning fedoras, tracksuits, and unlaced adi-

das gave hip-hop a new identity that was grounded in the streets. with

their single "my adidas," the group garnered the attention of the adidas

brand, inking a $1.6 million endorsement deal.

however, it was their cover of aerosmith's "walk this way" that elevated

the group to their legendary status. the song and video became one of

the biggest hits of the '80s, reaching number four on the Billboard hot

100 charts.

In 2002, the group experienced a great loss over the murder of Jam

master Jay. allowing faith to see them through, run and d.m.C. shifted

gears to more philanthropic efforts. run adopted the moniker "rev. run"

to show his religious conversion. In 2007, the group launched the J.a.m.

awards, which focuses on Jam master Jay's vision of bringing social

justice, art and music to his community and the world. ★

RUN DMC

words by kiara gillette

2014_Lexus_IS_LGBT_BleuMag_r01v06.indd 1 8/26/13 10:15 AM

bleu magazine issue 28

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